Page 135 of Fortress of Ambrose
Titus’s thick fingers circled his chin. “Demisse is dead. It’s Rajna now.”
“Where is she?”
“Around. You said you wanted to talk about Shelby. Are you here on behalf of your brother?”
“No.”
“Because that bastard has some explaining to do if the rumors are true that he’s mixed up with the Marionne girl.”
There it was. Family rivalries were like weeds, impossible to kill. The rule was House blood for House blood. But Darragh Marionne didn’t kill Shelby.
Felix did. At Beaulah’s order.
Yagrin sat back in his seat. This was playing right into his hand. The desperate were the easiest people to exploit.
“Have you heard from House of Perl lately?” Yagrin asked.
Titus flinched. “No. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I’m sorry for what happened to your daughter. I must be frank. My aunt used you. Just as she uses everyone.”
“She gave us a shot at Darragh Marionne. That toushana-spawn killed my baby girl.”
Yagrin shoved the bag across the table at Titus. “A gift. Open it.”
He peeled the zipper back to reveal a rotting head with bloody slicked hair.
“Shelby’s actual murderer. You’re welcome.”
Titus pushed back from the table, holding his nose in disgust. “I don’t understand.”
“My aunt ordered Felix to keep Shelby on a leash while she worked her way up in the House of Marionne ranks. If she got in the way, she was to be killed. At the time Shelby died, Darragh Marionne was facilitating Cotillion. Quell Marionne was there as well. You might have heard about it? The whole world has. Follow the timeline. It’s not hard to see between my aunt’s lies when you really think about it. She hasn’t been in touch since the Sphere shattered. You lost more people than she did. I saw with my own eyes. And when it came down to taking the Sphere’s magic, she had her Draguns around her, not any of your people. She doesn’t care about you or your House. She doesn’t care about me either. She cares about power.”
Titus gaped.
“I’m very sorry about Shelby,” he added again, for good measure.
Titus’s fist batted the head against the wall. He pounded the table and stood, kicking over his chair. When he settled, his back was to Yagrin,who couldn’t breathe. He’d played all his cards. He hoped it would be enough.
“Wait here.” Titus slammed the door.
Yagrin ducked his head out. There was no sign of Jordan. So he sat back in the chair, hoping he would actually make it back to Dlaminaugh after upsetting Titus so much.
Yagrin almost left multiple times, but after a long while, the door flew open, and Titus returned, holding a phone. His expression had changed. There were actual tears in his eyes.
“Rajna is on the line.” The big fellow swallowed hard, and it moved Yagrin’s heart. He wasn’t sure it was compassion or relief, but either way it was one step closer to getting the answers Nore needed. “She’s hesitant to meet in person with anyone right now. Until things in the world shake out a bit more.”
Hedging their bets, like Oralia.
Titus held the phone in one hand and pinched his leaking eyes with the other between sniffles.
“Yagrin Wexton, son of Richard Wexton, nephew to none other than Beaulah Perl. Thank you for connecting dots that have haunted our family for some time.” Rajna’s voice was raspy with age. “What is it you’d like to discuss?”
Yagrin slid forward on his chair closer to the speaker. “I am helping Nore Ambrose retrieve a piece of parchment that was entrusted to each House a long time ago. My understanding is that the Duncan piece was given to someone in your family after it was disbanded.”
“Did you say Ambrose?”
“Yes.”
